The best fake Breguet Classique 7787 available today is the 39 mm automatic version with a real lunar moon-phase disc and a separate power-reserve hand. Budget copies fail on those two details first. My criteria for ranking them: correct 39 mm case size and slim profile, a moon phase that tracks the lunar cycle instead of swapping a sun and moon disc once a day, a dial with cut engine-turned texture and clean Roman numerals, and a caseback, strap and clasp that do not give the watch away at arm's length.
What the genuine Classique 7787 looks like
Breguet builds the 7787 as a 39 mm round dress watch in rose or white gold, with a fluted caseband and straight welded lugs. The dial is silvered and engine-turned, with Roman numerals, a power-reserve sector near 12 o'clock, a moon-phase aperture near 6 o'clock, and blued pomme hands. It runs a self-winding calibre with roughly 38 hours of reserve and shows the movement through a sapphire back. Every replica is judged against that layout, because the two complications sit in unusual places and are the hardest things to copy.
Top pick: 39 mm automatic replica with a true moon phase
This is the version to buy if you want the watch to read correctly on the wrist and in photos.
- Pros: correct diameter, moon phase advances on the lunar cycle, power-reserve hand moves as the watch winds, dial texture and printing hold up close, strap and clasp match the case metal.
- Cons: costs more than quartz versions, case runs slightly thicker than the genuine one, the moon-phase module needs careful handling when setting, service options are limited.
Use case: dress wear and collection photos where the dial is visible. If you want a beater, buy something else.
Criterion 1: Moon phase against day/night wheel
Some cheap copies put a two-position disc behind the aperture. It shows a sun and a moon that swap once a day, so the display never matches the real lunar date.
- Pros of a true moon phase: correct look, one adjustment every few months, convincing under a loupe.
- Cons: higher cost, harder to source, more fragile if set at the wrong time.
Recommendation: if the moon phase does not matter to you, buy a simpler Classique replica and keep the money. Paying a premium for a 7787 with a fake moon phase makes no sense.
Criterion 2: Movement tier
Most copies run an Asian automatic with a moon-phase module added on top. A smaller number use a modified ETA or Sellita base. Both can keep good time. What matters is the finishing, the winding feel, and whether the moon phase and power reserve draw from the same gear train.
- Pros of an Asian automatic: lower price, parts are easy to find, a local watchmaker can regulate it.
- Cons: louder rotor, less consistent rate, module alignment can drift after a knock.
- Pros of an ETA or Sellita base: steadier rate, smoother winding, simpler servicing.
- Cons: higher price, fewer sellers stock it, caseback engraving is not always as clean.
Recommendation: choose the better base only if you plan to wear the watch often. For occasional wear, the Asian automatic is the better value.
Criterion 3: Dial, hands and case finishing
Check the engine-turned pattern under a light at an angle: it should be cut, not printed. Roman numerals should be crisp at the edges. Hands should be blued steel or a good imitation, with the pomme shape and a hollowed centre. On the case, look at the fluted band, the lug profile and the bezel polish. Gaps between case and caseback are a common flaw.
Recommendation: this is where the money shows. A weaker movement in a well-finished case wears better than the reverse.
Criterion 4: Caseback, strap and clasp
Ask for photos of the caseback engraving and of the movement through the sapphire. Crooked text, shallow engraving and rough bridges are the usual tells. The strap should be real leather with a signed buckle, and the stitching should follow the curve of the lugs.
What a replica will never do
A copy is not a Breguet. It has no factory service, no resale value and no precious-metal hallmark on the case. In some countries buying or importing one carries legal risk. Treat it as a costume piece and judge it that way.
Who should buy which version
- Daily dress wear: 39 mm automatic with a true moon phase and an ETA or Sellita base.
- Occasional wear: 39 mm automatic with an Asian movement, same dial and case quality.
- First try or budget: a simpler Classique replica without the moon phase.